Tape pulling machine



March 6, 1934. w. F. CASPERSON TAPE PULLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26. 1931 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS March 6, 1934. w. CASPERSON 1,950,098

TAPE PULLING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, l931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. BY 57 W, MQ WZM Q ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATN FFl CE TAPE PULLING MACHINE Application January 26,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tape pulling machines.

Machines are provided for applying gummed tape to the creases, joints or flaps of knock-down 5 paper boxes. In said machines the tape is fed from a large roll and is applied to the boxes and is cut in the desired length. In these machines, however, there is a direct pull on the tape unwound from the roll and this causes a constant jerking on the tape from the roll, with the resuit that the tape is frequently torn or run short and the box or boxes to which such portions of tape are applied must be removed and retaped.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a tape pulling apparatus for box taping machines which eliminates the above objections by causing a constant feed of tape from the tape roll to a container, where lengths of tape are slackly disposed and from there fed to the tape applying mechanism, whereby the tape is not taut and is not subjected to jerks and strains.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape pulling machine in which the speed of feed or unwinding from the roll is easily controlled and regulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape pulling machine which feeds into a tray slack lengths of tape for application to boxes, whereby said lengths are subsequently pulled from the tray insuring proper, untorn or unstrained lengths for application.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape pulling mechanism which may be installed on a standard box taping machine without any material alteration thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tape pulling machine which is of very simple construction, is stron and durable, is adjustable, is automatic in its operation, and is well adapted for the purpose set forth.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved tape pulling machine, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a box taping machine equipped with the improved tape pulling mechanism;

. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the adjustable mechanism for pulling tape from the tape roll.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- 1931, Serial No. 511,295

ings, it will appear that portions of a box taping machine have been illustrated, comprising a table or support 5 having mounted thereon near one end a hopper 6 in which are disposed, one above the other, a plurality of folded paper boxes so 57, to the creases or flaps of which strips of gummed tape are to be applied. For the application of tape individual folded boxes are moved successively forwardly below a front gauge plate 8 and between tape applying conveyor belts 9. 65

A supporting frame ll), secured to the table 5, extends upwardly from the front end portion thereof, and the upper end portion of said frame 10 is formed as an elongated bearing 11 in which is journaled an elongated tape roll shaft 12. 70 Supported loosely on an inner end portion of said shaft 12 is a tape reel 13 which holds tape 14 in roll form.

Journaled transversely of one end of the table 5, in suitable bearing brackets, is a shaft 15 carrying a driving sprocket wheel 16 engaged by a chain 1'7 extending to a source of power (not shown). Also mounted fast on said shaft 15 adjacent opposite ends thereof are sprocket wheels 18 and 19 which drive endless chains 20 and 21 respectively. Another shaft 22 is journaled transversely of the other end portion of the table and said shaft carries fast thereon sprocket wheels 23 and 24 engaged and driven by the chains 20 and 21. Power is transmitted to the tape roll shaft 12 by an endless chain 25 extended between sprocket wheels 26 and 27 fast on the shafts 22 and 12 respectively.

The improved tape pulling mechanism is preferably mounted in an elevated position in relative proximity to the tape reel 13. For purposes of illustration there is 2. depending support 28 secured to and depending from the ceiling of the room or enclosure housing the machine. The lower end of said support carries in a horizontal position a rectangular frame 29. Said frame 29 has mounted thereon opposed bearing brackets 30 in which are journaled opposite end portions of a feed control shaft 31. Said shaft 31 is formed with a key 32 engaging a complementary 100 key-way on a roller 33 mounted on said shaft, the roller being longitudinally adjustable on said shaft because of the key and key-way.

A shaft 34, at right angles to the shaft 31, is journaled in bearings 35 on the frame 29 and an 105 extension 29' thereof. One end portion of said shaft carries fast thereon a large disc 36 engaging and adapted to rotate the roller 33. A coiled spring 37, confined between a collar 38 and one of the bearings 35, holds the disc in yielding en- 1-10 gagement with the roller. The shaft 34 and disc 36 carried thereby are driven through the following drive: A stud shaft 39 is journaled through a forward upper portion of the supporting frame 10 and said shaft has fast thereon a sprocket wheel 40 driven from a sprocket Wheel 41 on the shaft 12 by an endless chain 42. There is also on the stud shaft 39 a pulley 43 carrying a belt 44 which drives a pulley 45 fast on the end portion of a stud shaft 46 journaled in a bearing 47 carried by the frame extension 29. The other end portion of the stud shaft 46 carries fast a bevel gear 48 in mesh with a bevel gear 49 carried by the shaft 34, whereby said shaft 34 and the disc 36 are driven.

For the purpose of longitudinally adjusting the roller 33 on theshaft 31 to locate the roller close to or further from the periphery of the driving disc 36 to decrease or increase the speed of rotation of the shaft 31, a finger 50 is provided, arranged with its outer end portion engaging in a recess of a hub 33' of the roller 33. The other end portion of said finger is carried by a slide member 51' integral with a traveling nut 51 and the nut is mounted on a screw 52. Said screw 52 is mounted in bearing brackets 53 on the frame 29. An extended outer end portion of the screw has mounted thereon a hand wheel 54. The slide member 51' is slidably mounted on a guide bar 66 secured to and slightly elevated from a face of the frame 29.

The outer end portion of the driven shaft 31 carries fast thereon a tape feeding roller 55 00- operating with another roller 56 thereabove, the

shaft portions carrying the rollers 55 and 56 passing through an adjustable bearing 57.

Tape from the roll 14 is unwound therefrom and is pulled between a pair of guide rollers 58, and then between the feed roller 55 and its cooperating roller 56, from whence the tape is depended into a basket or receptacle 59 mounted below a side portion of the frame 29. When the entire mechanism is set into operation, tape may be unwound from the tape reel 13 and the disc 36 will be driven through the power take off from the driven shaft 12, and the associated driving connections for the shaft 34 also previously described. Due to the engagement of the roller 33 with said disc 36, the shaft 31 and feeding roller 55 will be driven and this will cause the deposit in the basket or receptacle 59 of a length of tape in a slack condition in the disposition shown. I

From the basket or receptacle, the tape is guided and supported by an apron 60, and then passes over and about a series of guide rollers 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65, all mounted on the supporting frame 10. The tape then passes forwardly between the applying conveyor belts 9 and lengths thereof are applied and adhered to boxes '7 carried by the conveyors.

Byturning the hand wheel 54 in one direction or the other, the traveling nut 51 is moved, causing the finger 50 to move the roller 33 longitudi-- nally on its shaft 31. By this means the feed oftape into the tray 59 can be speeded up or re-' tarded, as desired. In practice it is desirable to have the feed at such a speed that a constant substantial length of slack tape is maintained in the receptacle or tray 59. The tape is withdrawn from the tray and applied to the boxes. However, the tape so applied is slack and is not subjected to strain, and therefore, the application of the tape to the boxes is greatly facilitated and the efiiciency of the machine is materially enhanced.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved tape pulling machine is both simple and novel, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In combination, a taping machine including a revolubly mounted roll of tape and moving conveyor belts forming a tape applying mechanism to which boxes are intermittently fed and moved along for the application of tape thereto, there being a continuous unbroken strip of tape between the roll and the tape applying mechanism and engaged by the latter, a primary tape pulling device for directly pulling tape from the roll and causing a substantial length of the tape thus pulled to be folded upon itself in a continuous slack condition, the tape applying mechanism constituting secondary pulling means for advancing tape from the slack portion thereof independently of said primary tape pulling its device, a drive for said taping machine, mechanical means for driving the primary tape pulling means and connected with said taping machine drive, and manually adjustable mechanical means for controlling the speed of operation of said primary tape pulling device.

2. In combination, a taping machine including a revolubly mounted roll of tape and moving conveyor belts forming a tape applying mechanism to which boxes are intermittently fed and moved along for the application of tape thereto, there being a continuous unbroken strip of tape between the roll and the tape applying mechanism and engaged by the latter, a primary tape pulling device for directly pulling tape from the roll and causing a substantial length of the tape thus pulled to be folded uponitself in a continuous slack condition, a stationary receptacle for temporarily storing the slack portions of the strip of tape, the tape applying mechanism constituting secondary pulling means for advancing tape I from the receptacle independently of said primary tape pulling device, a drive for said taping machine, mechanical means for driving the primary tape pulling means and connected with said taping machine drive, and manually adjustable mechanical means for controlling the speed 1 of operation of said primary tape pulling device.

WALTER F. CASPERSON.

its 

